One of the many reasons I call it the most American of musicals https://twitter.com/t_ruggeri/status/1310387717792956419

A con man shows up to the most bigoted, anti-immigrant, anti-progress, anti-Catholic town in Iowa and accidentally triggers... progress (and has his ass saved at the end of each act by the town's lone liberal).

It's such a subversive send-up of Americana.

"76 Trombones" is a rousing six-minute showstopper, noted in its opening night reviews for the audience clapping along.

And it's all a lie.

And everyone—on stage and in the audience—laps it up.

All, that is, except Marian.

Marian sees, to her shock, the positive impact he is having on the town—specifically, the breakthrough with her darling baby brother. She decides to let him have more time by ripping out that page as "My White Knight" swells and the curtain falls on act one.

I cry every time.

Meredith Willson struck gold. He was never able to parlay that into a consistent musical legacy (diminishing returns on each subsequent show). But writing this one musical alone was enough to secure a legacy. https://twitter.com/kevinddaly/status/943332415392636929?s=20

A grace note I love:

Marian sings "And if occasionally he'd ponder what makes Shakespeare and Beethoven great. Him I could love till I die"

Harold: *teaches the band the "Minuet in G" and cracks a Shakespeare joke to her in the second act*

Marian is perhaps my favorite character in musical theater. I hope she and Harold (or Greg, if he reverts back to that name—even the name is a lie!) enjoy a cottage small by waterfall. She's earned it.

I have been kind of whelmed by the pending revival because it's got all the hallmark Rudin flourishes: big star(s)! Media blitz! Event ticket pricing! ($750...?)

It also seems like he's just trying to replicate Hello, Dolly! with this property and that to me is a major misstep.

Also: Marian Paroo is a soprano role unless played by Doris Day.

We will not be making further comment at this time.

(The Music Man is one of those shows—we all have one or six—where it's hard for me to be impartial about how it's done)